Fiasco

The explosive adventures of the starship Calamity continue in Fay’s un-put-downable second Uncharted Hearts scifi romance (after Calamity). Cynbeline “Cyn” Khaw is a name feared throughout the known galaxies due to her reputation for having once “spaced” an entire ship filled with human traffickers. The legend, of course, bears little resemblance to reality. Now a struggling bounty hunter, Cyn is lucky enough to pick up a case from the powerful and dangerous Escajeda family—though this one is personal. Young Boreal Escajeda has been kidnapped by the Abyssal Abductor, the same man who abducted and killed Cyn’s younger cousin Aymbe years ago. To track the Abductor down, Cyn must reunite with the Calamity crew, who knew her as Generosity, the cultist they rescued who asked to go back. Now she’s hoping no one, particularly medic Micah Arora, will recognize her. For his part, Micah describes Cyn as “a whole woman sewn from red flags,” but he still can’t help feeling drawn to her. The simmering attraction between medic and bounty hunter colors the rip-roaring adventure, and Cyn’s struggles with relatable things like asking for help and navigating social expectations provide a perfect counterpoint to the crew’s occasionally over-the-top antics. This keeps the series going strong. (June)